Just like before
by Nerd-08
Summary: It started off as simple board game but ended up just like before.


Disclaimer: I don't own the characters from THE OUTSIDERS or the game SCRABBLE. Thanxs

Today was one of the rare days Darrel Curtis had off from work and Ponyboy didn't have school. That left the two brothers at home. Soda and Steve had to work and Dally, Johnny, and Two-bit were currently hanging around town but still planed on coming to the Curtis house.

So Ponyboy was stuck watching TV and Darry cleaning up. Even though it was his day off he still had to clean the attic. "Hey Pony come here a minute!" Darry yelled. Even though he wasn't actually watching the TV he didn't feel like leaving it. But got up anyway, he walked down the hall and climbed up the old wooden ladder that led to the attic. And instead of that old musty smell Pony's nose was greeted with a pine-y fresh scent. A small ceiling light dimly illuminated the old room and Darry was sitting right below it.

The young greaser navigated himself over boxes and around neat stacks of books. "What is it Darry?" Pony asked innocently he asked earlier if his big bro needed help and was declined, so Pony couldn't think of what his brother wanted. "Look at what I found." The twenty-year old said looking for the first time. In his left hand was a torn, red, rectangular box. "Wow, I haven't seen this in five years." Ponyboy said completely amazed and it was true neither brother had seen their 'Scrabble' game in 5 five years.

Their mother had gotten them hooked on the game. Even though pony was nine and Darry was fifteen their games were pretty close. It had been put up in the attic because they always fought about Pony making up words. "You wanna play?" Pony asked and was sure the answer would be no.

"Sure" Darrel said clearing a spot for the board and their brother. "Really?" he asked confused. "Yeah I could use a break and we haven't played since dad put it up here," Both were quiet at the mention of their dad. It had only been a few months since their parents passed.

Anyway Pony sat down and set up the board and the benches while Darry mixed up the letters in the gray bag and gave them both seven letters. "You start." The older man instructed. Pony picked up four tiles and laid down his word 'door'. "Lets keep score." Pony suggested. His was already ahead of him with a sheet of paper labeled Pony on one side and Darry on the other.

The younger gained 10 points from that because of a double word block. Darry added a G on of the R and IPE followed creating the word gripe. And gained 15 points.

The game continued like that for an hour and the score was Darry-345, Pony-338 without any problems until now. He had the following letters; P, S, F, D, A, E, E. He could see any word he could make with the words on the board and his letters. "You wanna pass?" Darry asked menacingly because he knew how much his brother hated giving up. "No, I don't" he retorted mater-of-factly. He picked the two e's and placed them in a blank spot in between an L and an F. Creating the word LEEF.

"No" Darry said moving the two letters off the board. "That's not a word Ponyboy." This is basically what started the argument that led to their Father banning both boys from the game years ago. "It is to a word." Pony replied moving the two pieces back into place. "No it isn't." Darry said removing the pieces again. "Yes it is." Pony could be as stubborn as a mule when he wanted to be.

"Then what is it?" Pony was prepared for this question. "It is a direction." Receiving a confused look from his guardian he continued. "You have your right, then you have your 'leef'."

"Ponyboy you can't make up words!"

"I didn't make it up, its in the dictionary." Pony said standing up

"Not spelled like that." Darry said repeating his sibling's movement.

"Just admit it you don't want to lose, because with that word I'd get 236 points and I'd win." Of course Pony knew he was wrong the truth was he didn't want to lose.

"I'm fine losing just not to a cheater!"

"I am not a cheater old man." He was as bad a cheater as Sodapop.

"you are a cheater little boy, and you always have been. You can't make up words or choose how real ones are spelled." Both had been so involved in the argument neither heard the rest of the gang enter the house.

"Why not Darry?!" Is what the other five geasers heard when they stepped into the house. "Are they fighting again?" Two-bit asked to no one in paticular. It was around four o'clock when Soda and the gang came over the Curtis' house. "Why do you think Ponyboy?" They heard Darry reply. The argument was apparently coming from the attic. That is where they headed.

Soda was first then Steve, Johnny, Dally and lastly Two-bit. "That's not fair." The fourteen year old whined. "Actually it is, that's a rule."

The group made it to the rickety ladder and soda started to climb leaving his friends behind. But he didn't make it to the top before Pony replied. "Screw the rules." Soda stopped climbing and looked back at his friends schocked that his little brother would be so blunt. They heard something get knocked over and Soda hurried up the rest of the ladder. He honestly wanted to stop his brothers fighting before it got to bad but was schoked by what he saw.

Standing in the middle of the room Darry had his back toward soda but could tell he had Pony in a headlock. "What the hell?" Soda said under his breath.

"Say it." Darry demanded

"Never" Pony griped out. "What the hell?" Soda said louder. "Say it!" Darry demanded again. This time Pony gave in. "Okay, I mad it up I made it all up. It's not a word and Ima cheater and I lose." When he finnised his plea Darrel dropped him to the floor.

"Darry!" Soda cried. His brother started to turn around but was stopped by Ponyboy's foot. Well not so much his foot but where it went. The man quickly dropped to his knees cursing aloud. "Pony!" Soda yelled.

Yup this was just like last time.


End file.
